Elevating-truck.



E. M. CHAPMAN & c. E. COWAN.

ELEVATING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1914.

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ELEVATING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-17,1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 11915.

2 SHEETBSHEET 2.

EUGENE Jill. CHAPMAN ANU GHARLES E. COWAN, 01F HOLYOJKE, MSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATINGr-TEUCK.

amet.

Epecification of Letters JPatent.

Patented Apr. 113, 1915..

Application filed March 17, 1914. Serial Ito. 525,256.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EUGENE M. CHAP- MAN and CHARLES E. CowAN, citizensof the United States, and residents of Holyoke, in the county of Hampdenand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedlElevating-Truck, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to elevating trucks of that type including a linksupported platform and means whereby the downward movement of the handlewill elevate the platform and the upward movement will lower theplatform.

The general objects of the present invention are to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of elevating trucks of the characterreferred to so as to be of durable and substantial design, comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and so constructed that the platform can beeasily and quickly raised or lowered and the truck steered withfacility.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision. of a novellyarranged and constructed elevating device at the front of the truck,which is adapted to cooperate with front links of special constructionbetween the front end of the platform and the under structure of thetruck, whereby the platform can be raised or lowered, said elevatingdevice being connected with a fore carriage by a king bolt constructionin which the king bolt will occupy a vertical position when the platformis lowered, so that the truck can be readily steered by the usual tongueor handle.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a simple andedective locking device for automatically locking the platform in raisedposition and for locking the elevating device to the front links of thetruck, said locking means being released by the operator pressing apedal topermit the platform to drop under the weight of the loadsustained thereby without the necessity of moving the handle upwardly.With such objects in view, and others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts such as will be set forth withparticularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, and wherein similar characters of referenceindicatecorresponding parts in all the views, Flgure 1 is a perspectiveview of the truck with the platform in lowered position; Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the platform raised, as when carrying a load to betransported; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the truck; Fig. 4: is a verticallongitudinal section, showing in full lines the platform raised and indotted lines the platform lowered; Fig. is a plan view of the elevatorand the locking mechanism carried thereby, with such mechanism inlooking position; Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the locking mechanismin released position; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing thelocking bolt for connecting the elevator with one of the front links;Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the elevating device and one of thefront links shown removed therefrom; and Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive aresectional views showing the various operative relations of the elevatorto the front links.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a platform and B theundersupporting structure of the truck. The platform comrises side bars1 and front and rear cross ars 2 and 3 which are rigidly secured to theside bars. The front cross bar or member 2 has an upwardly extendingflange 4. which serves to prevent the positioning of a load on theplatform too far forwardly. The under supporting structure comprisesside bars 5 which have their rear ends connected with an axle 6 thatpasses through and holds rear wheels 7. The side bars or reaches 5 maybe connected by one or more cross members 8. A fore carriage C isconnected with the front part of the under structure of the truck so asto sup ort the same, the connecting means being 0 special design, as itincludes devices for efi'ecting the raising and lowering of the platformA. The-rear'cnd of the platform is connected by a link frame D with therear axle 6, said frame I) being in the form of a bar 8 which ispivotally connected at its ends 9 with the side bars 1 of the platform,and depending from the bar 8 of the link frame D are members 10 throughwhich the rear axle 6 ex tends, whereby the said frame D forms means forlinking the rear end of the platform with the under structure B, andthis frame D is adapted to swing rearwardly on the axle 6 as a centerduring the lowering movement of the platform, and it swings upwardly toan approximately vertical plane when the platform is raised.

The front portions of the under structure B and platform A are connectedtogether by links E which are in the form of sector plates constructedas shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive. The links E set in between the bars1 of the platform and reaches 5, and between these links is disposed anelevating device F which is constructed as shown in Fig. 8, it being ahorizontal bar 11 having depending arms 12 provided at their lower endswith pivot studs 13. These studs pass through openings 14 in the lowerportions of the front links E, and these studs are long enough to passthrough the openings 14 and through openings 15 in the forward ends ofthe reaches 5. The links E have at their upper portions outwardlyextending studs 16 which pass through openings 17 in the side bars 1 ofthe platform. Suitable means, such as cotter pins 18, may be insertedthrough the outer ends of the pivot studs 13 and 16, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, to hold the parts together. On the inner faces of the sectors orlinks E are stops 19 and 20 so disposed with respect to each other thatthe arms 12 of the elevating device will lie between them and have aswing of about forty-five degrees. In the ends of the bar'll of theelevator are bolts 21, each being normally urged outwardly by a spring22, as shown in Fig. 7, and these bolts are adapted to enter recesses orto engage with equivalent means 23 on the inner faces of the links E,when the elevator is in engagement with the rear stops 19 on the linksE. The bolts 21 thus lock the links to the elevator and they will movewith the latter as it swings down rearwardly and up forwardly on an axisformed by the pivot lugs 13. These bolts are connected by studs 21 withlinks 24 which are disposed over the bar 11 of the elevator F, and theselinks are in turn connected with a foot-operated member 'or pedal 25which is pivotally mounted on the top of the elevator, and this device25 has an extremity 26 located forwardly of the elevator and is adaptedto be engaged by the foot of the operator so as to be pressedrearwardly, and in so doing the links 24 aredrawn inwardly so as toretract the bolts 21 andthereby unlock the elevator F from the links E.The studs 21 of the bolts 21 extend through slots 23*, Figs. 7 and 8, inthe ends of the bar 11, and the bolts pass out through openings 12 so asto engage in the recess 23 of the links E. The

r or shoulder 36 over which the elevator has a vertical centrallydisposed tubular hearing or boss 27 depending from the under side of thebar 11 of the elevator, and into this bearing extends the king pin 28 ofthe fore carriage C. The fore carriage comprises an axle 29 passingthrough an axle block 30 from which latter extends the king bolt 28, andon the ends of the axle 29 are the front wheels31 of the truck. Thesewheels are located close together and between the depending arms 12 ofthe elevator and are capable of turning through approximately onehundred and eighty degrees, so that the truck an make short turns. Theking pin is held in the elevator F by the bolt-operating lever or pedal25 and a screw 32 which extends through this lever 25 and screws intothe king bolt, as shown in Fig. -l, the screw serving as a pivot for thefoot lever 25. In order to hold the platform in raised position thisfoot lever 25 has a rearward extension or tongue 33 which is adapted toenter a recess 31 in the front face of the front cross bar 2 of theplatform A, such recess being open at its bottom and having a laterallyextending horizontal portion at its upper end so as to form a stop freeend of the locking member 33 engages. When the platform is raised fromthe dotted lines shown in Fig. 4 to the full line position, the elevatorand all the parts carried thereby swing upwardly and forwardly, as doesthe front bar 4 of the platform, and during this upward movement therear extremity of the member 33 enters the slot 34 in the bar 2 andrides along the inclined edge 34 of the slot, so that, during the latterpart of the upper movement of the platform the member 33 is moved fromthe position shown in Fig. 5 almost to that shown in Fig. 6 but not farenough to withdraw the bolt 21 from engagement with the links E. Thismovement of the member 33 is resisted by the springs 22 for the bolts21, and as soon as the upper part of the slot 3-1 is reached, the member33 snaps into the horizontal portion 35 of the slot by reason of theexpansion of the springs 22 of the bolts 21. As long as the lockingmember 33 is thus engaged the platform will sustain a load, and when theoperator pushes the foot lever 25 the looking member 33, which is a partof such foot lever, is disengaged from the wall 36 of the slot 34, andconsequently the loaded platform will move downwardly, and durin thismovement the elevator can be retaine in a vertical position, as shown inFig. 1, since the bolts 21 were released from the links E by theoperator actuating the foot lever 25. It will be noted that the rear endof the member 33 swings on an arc of a circle struck from the axis ofthe front axle, which is approximately co-incident with the pivot studs13 of the elevator F, and the front part of the platform swings onapproximately the same center, and during the upward swinging of themember 33 and bar 2 the free extremity of the locking member 33 willenter the recesses 34:, as hereinbefore explained, to lock the platformin raised positions.

It is necessary that the king pin be maintained in vertical positionduring the movement of the truck, as otherwise it would be difficult tosteer the same. Thus, when the platform islowered, as shown in Fig. l,the king pin is in a vertical position, which enables the truck to bereadily steered under the load which the truck is about to take up, itbeing understood that the load is usually supported by skids or the likea suitable height above the floor, so that the truck can be wheeledunder the load, such a loadsupporting skid being shownby dotted lines inFig. 2. When the load is to be raised, the elevator is swung backwardlyfrom a position shown in Figs. 1 and'll to the position shown by dottedlines in Fig. 4., and that shown in Fig. 10. When the elevator is inthis position the bolts 21 automatically lock with the front links E.The elevator is now raised from the position shown in Fig. 10 to thatshown in Figs. 2 and 9, whereby the load is elevated and the platformcarrying it locked in raised position automatically. The guiding orsteering of the truck is accomplished by a handle or, tongue Gr which isdetachably engaged in a forward extension or arm 38 on the axle block30. in the socket 39 of this extension 38 is a fixed transverse pin 4:0,and the tongue has a longitudinal slot 4:1, which slot has an opening 42in its side, so that the tongue can beengaged with or disengaged fromthe pin. The tongue has a transversely extending pin or oppositelydisposed lugs 43 which are adapted to be en aged in recesses or seats 44on the forwar part of the extremity 38. When the lugs 43 are engagedwith the seats 44 the tongue iir'operatively connected with the forecarriage so as to steer truck, but by pulling the tongue forwardly todisengage the lugs 43 from the seats at, the tongue can be swungupwardly about the pin 40 as a center in order that the tongue or handlecan assume the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, where lack of space sore-.

quires, as in an elevator into which the truck is conducted for carryinga load from one floor of a buildin to another. Furthermore, the handlecan be removed altogether if necessity re uires.

A, checking device is employed to check the descent of the loadedplatform, such device being a dashpot of any approved con-.struc-tionsupported on the bar 8, and the is so designed as to allowthe platform to be readily elevated, but materially retards the descentof the platform, even though it is loaded.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operationwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains, and while we have described the. device which wenow consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. An elevating truck comprising a platform, an under supportingstructure, links connecting the platform with the under structure andpermitting the platform to be raised and lowered, a swinging elevatingdevice, means for detachably connecting the device with the links toraise the platform a wheeled steering fore carriage connected with thesaid device, and a handle connected with the forecarriage to guide themovement of the truck and to swing the elevating device.

2. An elevating truck comprising a platform, an under supportingstructure including rear wheels, an elevating device connected with theunder structure and mounted to swing on a horizontal axis, memberspivotally connected with the device and the platform, a fore carriagepivotally connected with the elevating device, a steering handleconnected with the forecarriage and serving to swing the said elevatingdevice, and means carried by the elevating device for operativelyconnecting the same with the said members for raising the platform andreleasable to permit the platform to lower independently of theelevating device.

3. An elevating truck comprising awheelsupported under structure, aplatform, links connecting the platform with the under structure, anelevating device connected with the under structure and detachablyconnected with the links for raising the platform, a handle pivotallyconnected with the elevatin device for guiding the truck, and means "orrigidly connecting the handle with the elevating device, whereby thehandle operates through the latter to elevate the platform.

4. An elevating truck comprising a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform movably mounted on the under structure, an elevating deviceconnected with the under structure to swing on a horizontal axis,

members pivotally connected withthe device and platform, locking meansfor conilillll lllld ltd necting the elevating device with themembers'to raise the platform, and locking means on the elevating devicefor automatically engaging and holding the platform in raised position.

5. An elevating truck comprising a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform movably mounted on the under structure, an elevating deviceconnected with the under structure to swing on a horizontal axis,members pivotally connected with device and platform, locking means forconnecting the elevating device with the members to raise the platform,locking means on the elevating device for automatically engaging andholding the platform in raised position, and a foot-operated means forsimultaneously releasing all of said locking means to permit theplatform to be lowered.

6. An elevating truck comprising a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform, links for connecting the platform with the under structure, anelevating device pivotally connected with the under structure to swingon a horizontal axis, locking bolts carried by the elevating device andadapted to interlock with the links to raise the platform by themovement of the elevating device, and means for releasing the lockingbolts from the links to permit the platform to lower.

7. An elevating truck comprising a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform, links for connecting the platform with the under structure, anelevating device pivotally connected with the under structure to swingon a horizontal axis, locking bolts carried by the elevating device andadapted to interlock with the links to raise the platform by themovement of the elevating device, an operating device to which the saidlocking bolts are connected, and a member carried by the operatingdevice and arranged to interlock with the platform when the latter israised for maintaining such position, said member and locking boltsbeing simultaneously released by the operating device to permit theplatform to lower.

8. An elevating truck comprising a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform, sector-shaped links connecting the platform and understructure together, an elevating device disposed between the said links,means carried by the elevating device for automaticallyinterlocking withthe links, whereby the elevating device can, in swinging, raise or lowerthe platform, and means adapted to be actuated by the operator forreleasing thesaid interlocking means from the said links.

9. An elevating truck including an under supporting structure, aplatform, links pivotally connecting the platform and under structuretogether, an elevating device connected with the under structure andarranged to swing on an axis co-incident with the connection between thelinks and under structure, stops on the links between which theelevating device can swing, springpressed locking bolts on the elevatingdevice arranged to engage with the links, whereby the movement of theelevating device will raise the platform, and means for releasing thelocking bolts from the links to permit the platform to lower.

10. An elevating truck including an under supporting structure, aplatform, links pivotally connecting the platform and under structuretogether, an elevating device connected with the under structure andarranged to swing on an axis co-incident with the connection between thelinks and under structure, stops on the links between which theelevating device can swing, springpressed locking bolts on the elevatingdevice arranged to engage with the links, whereby the movement of theelevating device will raise the platform, means for releasing thelocking bolts from the links to permit the platform to lower, a forecarriage, and a king pin connection between the fore carriage and thesaid elevating device.

11. An elevating truck comprising an under structure including reachbars, a platform disposed above the bars, a swinging elevating device,links pivotally connected with the platform, pivotal connections betweenthe links and reach bars and elevating device, means for releasablylocking the elevating device and links together for raising theplatform, and steering wheels connected with the elevating device.

12. An elevating truck comprising an under supporting structure havingrear wheels, a platform, front and rear links connecting the platformand under structure together, an elevating device disposed between thefront links and having depending members pivotally connected with thefront links, front wheels disposed between the said members of theelevating device, an axle supporting the said front wheels, :1 king pinconnection between the axle and elevating device, locking bolts on theelevating device for engaging with the links to raise the platform bythe movement of the said elevating device, and a steering tongueorhandle connected with the axle to steer the truck.

13. An elevating truck including a wheelsupported under structure, aplatform, links connected with the platform, an elevating device havingpivot studs to which the links and under structure are connected, meansfor locking the links and elevating device together to raise theplatform by the said device, means for releasing the said means topermit the platform to lower iudcpendently of the said device, and asteering fore carriage connected with the said elevating device.

14. An elevating truck comprising a Wheel-supported under structureincluding a front axle, wheels on the front axle, a forward extension onthe axle and formed with a socket, a pin extending across thesocket,

seats on the forward portion of the eXten-' sion, a steering handledetachably engaged in the said extension and having an opensided slotfor receiving the pin in the socket of the extension, and means on thesteering 10 handle to engage with the seat on the extension to rigidlyconnect the steering handle with the axle.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE M. CHAPMAN. CHARLES E. COWAN.

- Witnesses:

URBAN JOHN ERNST, GEORGE AHNERT.

